Stars
by xWintra
Summary: Kaelyn should've kissed her moral compass goodbye for once in her life when she jumps into a portal after one of the few people she actually cares for and finds herself in a place she never wanted to visit again. Neverland. And, with it, came the boy-who-never-grew-up, who had stolen a lot more than Kaelyn's heart once upon a time.
1. Weight of Living

**Chapter One  
The Weight of Living**

* * *

Kaelyn remembered when the Diner had been a source of comfort for a girl named Katelyn. There wasn't much of a difference between them when it came down to it. They looked the same, talked the same, thought the same, and their names were the same down to a 't'. But, in the end, the two girls could not have been more different. Katelyn did not make people flinch when she moved, or had eighty percent of the town residents actively avoid her. Katelyn wasn't feared or disliked, not like Kaelyn was.

She should've been thankful, yes. The Curse had been broken. She was no longer living an eternal lie of an eighteen-year-old country girl who had been in her final year of high school for twenty-eight years straight without an inkling of time passing. But Kaelyn had liked the idea of it, the idea that there was alternate universe where she was just an ordinary girl with an equal amount of friends and enemies. It had felt normal.

But now? Kaelyn was back, along with everyone else from their fairytale land, all thanks to the 'Saviour.' And with the Curse broken, came back every memory Kaelyn had gathered over her annoyingly long lifespan, as well as the reputation she had earned back in the day. She couldn't blame them, and with her own memories back she also remembered why she disliked them as well. The feeling was mutual.

Some still liked to pretend their life was normal. Like they could all be friends and coexist in places like the library – a place Kaelyn would never verbally admit how much she loved – or Granny's Diner, where Kaelyn was currently sat at a booth on her own. Like they could live peacefully forever in a land without magic, tucked away behind the town line in a small pocket of fairytales and magic.

It was hardly smooth-sailing, with the amount of people who'd continually tried to screw up their lives. Kaelyn mostly stayed out of it, unless it involved Storybrooke as a whole or threatened Henry, Neal or especially herself, she wasn't interested. She kept up, though, she heard all the whisperings and the news from around town.

"Hey, Katelyn."

At first, she didn't recognise that someone was greeting _her_, the name with a 't' already a distant memory to her even after just a few weeks. But when someone cleared their throat, Kaelyn looked up from where her head was resting on her hand to see none other than the saviour herself, Emma Swan.

"Kaelyn," the brunette girl corrected. Emma furrowed her brows, and Kaelyn angled herself so she was facing Emma. "The Curse is lifted, we all remember. My name is Kaelyn. Just take away the 't'." Despite herself, she reached protectively for the half-finished steaming cup in front of her. "But, not literally." Emma looked like she wanted to laugh, but just sighed as she slid into the seat opposite Kaelyn, who raised her eyebrows. "Okay, make yourself at home."

"Well, you do practically live here," Emma retorted. She was, of course, referring to the fact that Kaelyn had no actual home. Even when she'd believed she was Katelyn, she'd permanently stayed at the Bed and Breakfast, working five days a week instead of actually paying to stay when she became closer with Ruby and Granny herself, who were the closest thing Katelyn had had to a family. Kaelyn still resided upstairs, in the same room as the last twenty-eight years, and the deal was still on, just a bit tenser now that all three were aware of who the other was.

Kaelyn sipped her tea. "Really? Hadn't noticed."

Emma ignored the girl's comment, and instead went to what Kaelyn assumed she'd come to tell her in the first place. "Neal's bringing his fiancé to Storybrooke."

"Yeah, I know. He told me this morning," Kaelyn responded. She hadn't actually met the woman, Tamara, but had heard plenty from her old friend, who was one of two people Kaelyn would actually call that.

Many people had asked the two how they knew each other, and so well, but they had become adept at deflecting the question and the town had just come to accept that Rumpelstiltskin's long lost son (and also the father of the kid Kaelyn had babysat for years) was one of two people Kaelyn actually liked. Henry, of course, being the other.

"We stay opposite each other upstairs," Kaelyn explained at Emma's confused look.

"Right."

There was an extended silence, both women knowing the cause. The only sound was Kaelyn drinking her fruit tea without milk, a daily morning occurrence for her.

Kaelyn set her cup down, looking at Emma from across the table. "Was that all?"

Emma frowned. "Uh, Hook. You remember Hook?"

Kaelyn couldn't stop her eyes from rolling. "Vividly."

"He got out of Neal's storage closet."

"Why do you sound confused? You locked up a guy with a hook for a hand in a _wooden closet_. What did you think was gonna happen?" Kaelyn scoffed, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest.

Emma shrugged. "Yeah, well, God knows where he is right now."

Kaelyn ignored the fact that Neal had neglected to tell her, as little as the event may have been, as she sighed dramatically. "Ah, great. Yet another person who wants to kill me is on the loose."

"Pretty sure he only cares about Mr Gold at this point," Emma replied. Kaelyn knew she was right, and the pirate's bloodlust for the Dark One far outweighed his hate for Kaelyn, who was probably more like an immortal thorn in his side then a vendetta.

"Oh, he can do whatever to Rumpelstiltskin," Kaelyn said, nonchalantly, downing the last of her tea before it got past the three minutes where it was cold enough to be drinkable but still hot enough to be enjoyable.

Emma looked shocked by Kaelyn's words. The girl thought she would've been used to it now. And Kaelyn's care – or lack thereof – towards Rumpelstiltskin in particular was no secret, the two positively hating each other for reasons no one could seem to grasp. Considering both were extremely old and powerful, it was no surprise they had clashed at least once in their lifetime, but they held off on details, maintaining their titles as the two biggest mysteries in Storybrooke.

"You know, I don't think–" Emma went to say, but Kaelyn sensed a moral lecture.

"Anything else?" she cut the blonde woman off, sharply. Her tone was a warning, one Emma had come to recognise in their time together. For a few moments, the two just regarded each other, before Emma spoke up.

"No." She got to her feet and Kaelyn didn't miss how her hand slipped from the gun on her belt, as if she had been gripping it under the table. "Just thought I would give you a heads up." And, with that, the woman left the Diner, the bell tinkling on her way out the door.

"Kaelyn!" Granny's voice called from the back of the Diner.

"Yeah?" she called back.

"You're on in ten!"

Kaelyn sighed, standing up and taking her teacup with her, preparing for the daily grind, a strange mix between the world Kaelyn with a 't' had lived in and a world where magic existed. It was a world that was slowly becoming the town's new definition of 'normal,' and Kaelyn was yet to see if she liked it.

* * *

Work was largely uneventful as per usual. She had served pie to that guy Greg, who had come from outside of town and crashed his car, from what Kaelyn had heard. He'd been back on his feet for a while, but Kaelyn hadn't really talked to him and didn't plan to. Of all the people to meet him though, was Regina.

Kaelyn remained unbothered, as the Evil Queen wasn't _technically _an enemy to her, more just a 'hey we both do magic and people hate us both but we never really did anything to each other' type thing. It was a weird mutual respect and understanding that Kaelyn actually enjoyed. It was one less person glaring at her, she supposed.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the day was finally meeting Neal's fiancé, who he had strolled into the Diner with him at midday. She was a pretty and charming woman, Kaelyn supposed, though at times she felt like she was talking to someone wearing a mask.

"I'm Tamara," she had introduced over the counter after Neal had insisted the two meet. Kaelyn shook the woman's hand, politely.

"I'm Kaelyn."

"Katelyn?"

Kaelyn had bitten her tongue as best she could. "No. Kaelyn. Without the 't'."

"Oh, like the fairytale villain?" Tamara had asked, sounding fascinated.

Kaelyn had fought back a laugh, while Neal had failed to hide his grin behind his fiancé.

"Yeah. Exactly like that," Kaelyn had calmly responded.

After that encounter, the soon-to-be-married couple headed upstairs to unpack, followed shortly by Emma – again – and Henry. Kaelyn took her time to talk with the boy, giving him a quick hug before getting back to work, not neglecting the fact that Tamara stuck around and watched her when she thought Kaelyn didn't notice.

That left Kaelyn where she was now, finished with her shift and sprawled on her bed in her room, a novel in her hands as she absentmindedly sipped on some coffee. There was a knock on her door. Kaelyn briefly glanced up from her book, stopping mid-air in raising her coffee to her lips. After a few moments, she shrugged and went back to reading, when there was another knock.

"Kaelyn, it's me," she heard Neal's voice muffled through the wood. Kaelyn set her coffee down and marked her page, before heading to her door and swinging it open.

"What?" she struggled to hide the annoyed tone from her voice as she came face-to-face with Neal and Tamara, an arm slung around her shoulders. "Someone better have died." Kaelyn arched an eyebrow as she noticed their faces. "Oh shit, someone died."

"August," Neal told her.

"Oh." Kaelyn wasn't sure how to react. She'd barely talked to the man during his time in Storybrooke.

"Well, not really," Tamara piped up, her face lighting up. "He did come back to life as a little boy thanks to... Mother Superior, is it?" she looked to Neal for confirmation, who nodded, before kissing his fiancé's nose.

Kaelyn's jaw clenched at the affection. "Oh, so he's not dead." She turned her attention to Tamara before the couple could say anything else. "And you're okay with all this? You're staying?"

"Well, yeah," Tamara grinned. Kaelyn smiled, but it was hardly honest. "So, does this mean you're really... the fairytale?" Tamara asked, sounding more cautious.

"Yep."

"Wow, okay." Kaelyn didn't miss how Tamara took a slight step back. "I really like your movies, by the way," she said, tightly, but still keeping an easy smile on her face.

"Thanks," Kaelyn said. There was a silence, Kaelyn studying Tamara the entire time. A woman who had shown up the day someone had been killed in Storybrooke, a woman who looked at Kaelyn as if she _knew _before she'd even found out about the fairytale world. A woman who just so happened to be getting married to a man Kaelyn cared about and who also had deep roots in the magical world.

"Well," Tamara broke the silence. "I'm gonna go to bed."

"I'll join you soon," Neal assured her, pecking her on the lips as she retreated to their shared room across the hall from Kaelyn's very own. "You could at least pretend you like her," Neal chided as soon as Tamara closed the door.

Kaelyn's demeanour changed now that Tamara was gone, her body relaxing as she leaned against the door frame and faced Neal with a permanent teasing smirk on her face. "Excuse you. I am."

Neal had the same smile on his own face "Do better."

Kaelyn raised her eyebrows, as if the whole thing was a challenge to her. "I'll like her when I know I can trust her," she said, lowly.

Neal let out something between a scoff and a laugh. "You don't trust anyone."

"Not true," Kaelyn said in mock hurt. "I trust you."

"Besides me," Neal scolded, but he couldn't help the fond smile on his face. Kaelyn opened her mouth but he cut her off. "And Henry." Kaelyn rolled her eyes and didn't say anything, the two standing in comfortable silence. "Is that coffee?" Neal asked, changing the topic as his eyes went over his friend's head and looked into her room.

Kaelyn glanced back momentarily to see the cup on her bedside table. "Oh, yeah," she said, innocently, turning her head back.

"At ten at night?" Neal sounded like a big brother chiding his sister.

"_Decaf_," Kaelyn exclaimed.

"Hey," Neal raised his hands in defence, "just don't wake me up at three cause you're bored and can't sleep. We're not in Neverland anymore."

Kaelyn's breath hitched at the mention of the place. "No, we are not," she agreed, letting out a small laugh to try and cover up her moment of vulnerability.

"G'night Kaelyn," Neal said, ruffling her hair, Kaelyn lightly slapping his hand away. He just chuckled as he retreated back to his own room, Kaelyn still leaning in her doorway.

"You, too, Bae," she told her friend before he closed the door for the night.

* * *

Storybrook remained peaceful for a few more days. Tamara was still flitting around, talking to everyone she could about their past selves without seeming too intruding. She mainly avoided Kaelyn, which proved hard since she was around Neal and Henry the most. Kaelyn was entertained, she liked seeing the woman choke on excuses of why she couldn't be around whenever Kaelyn was.

Kaelyn continued her shifts at the Diner, spending her first free day of the week reading in her room. The library was largely inaccessible now, after Belle had been attacked by Hook and crossed the town line a while ago. She'd seen Belle around town after she'd presumedly been discharged from the hospital, but she hadn't come back to Diner yet, which Kaelyn noted as odd.

"Bet you're glad you're working the nightshift now."

At Ruby's words, Kaelyn snapped out of her thoughts and glanced up to see Mr Gold enter the Diner, Belle with him. Kaelyn instantly noted Belle looked different, dressed in a fitting, sparkly dress that didn't suit her. Kaelyn met Mr Gold's eyes from across the diner and gave him a sarcastic wave. He ignored her and went to take a seat with Belle at an empty booth.

"Have fun," Ruby said, grabbing her coat on the way out, patting Kaelyn's shoulder. She just rolled her eyes. Of all the people in town, Ruby was probably the least afraid or judgemental of Kaelyn. It was a nice change, especially since Kaelyn spent so much time around her.

"You got this?" Granny asked Kaelyn, eyeing Belle and Mr Gold.

"Yep," Kaelyn said. To prove her point, she strolled over to the pair, notepad and pen in hand. "Hi," she chirped as she reached their table. The look on Mr Gold's face was almost too much for Kaelyn to _not _burst out laughing. "What'd you do? Raid Ruby's closet?" Kaelyn teased, focusing on Belle, who looked straight through the waitress.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Kaelyn raised her eyebrows slightly. "Nope. Apparently not."

"Perhaps _Lacey _and I could order," Mr Gold cut in.

"Well, of course. What can I get you two lovebirds?" Kaelyn clicked her pen, looking expectantly at the couple. Mr Gold's glare deepened, but Kaelyn kept the easy smile on her face, knowing he wouldn't do anything in front of Belle – or, well, Lacey.

"Two burgers, two ice teas," Mr Gold said. "Please," he added, and Kaelyn knew how much it _hurt _to say that to her. Kaelyn jotted down the order, before he handed her his menu, Kaelyn noting his shaking hands.

"Actually," Belle spoke up. "I'm gonna go...chicken parm and white wine." Kaelyn smirked and wrote down the order. "And make it the bottle."

"You planning on sharing that?" Kaelyn chuckled, practically feeling Mr Gold glaring at her.

"Depends," Belle responded, casually.

"Coming right up." Kaelyn took the menu from her, giving Mr Gold one last look. "Word of advice, lady killer. Don't order her food for her." She gave him a wink and patted his shoulder, feeling how tense he was, as she strolled off. She placed the order in the machine and let out a satisfied sigh. Granny gave her a look. "What? I just love my job."

Kaelyn returned to the pair a few minutes later with their drinks, Belle saying 'thank you' as Kaelyn set down the full bottle of alcohol. She had to return shortly after when Mr Gold spilled his drink. The smirk on her face as she wiped down the table and took away the glass was wicked, almost as much as the look on Mr Gold's face.

"Where's your barfly?" Kaelyn asked, sweetly, when she returned a while later with their food. Belle still hadn't returned to the table after going to clean her dress.

"That's none of your business, dearie," Mr Gold said, tightly. Kaelyn narrowed her eyes and slid into the seat opposite Mr Gold where Belle had been sat.

"So, how's the date going?"

"Don't pretend like you care."

"Badly, right?"

"_No_," he ground out.

She studied him for a moment. "Hmm. You're doing it all wrong."

"What?"

She laughed, relishing the look on Mr Gold's face at the thought she knew something he didn't. She leaned forward, as if she were a kid telling a guarded secret. "You're being the person that Belle fell in love with," Kaelyn told him.

"Exactly."

"But, that's not Belle right now. That's Lacey. And she's not into polite, shy businessman like you." Kaelyn watched Mr Gold register her words. Any flicker of hope he seemed to have had had faded from his eyes, as if Kaelyn's words had made him accept the reality of the situation. "By the way, I'd check outside if I were you. Just to be sure." She reached across the table and plucked a potato fry from Mr Gold's plate, as he seemed too numb to stop her. "Have a good night."

She winked at him once more before stuffing the fry in her mouth and heading off. A minute later she heard the door open and close, the table the pair had occupied now completely empty. They didn't return, and Kaelyn ended up taking the food back and began eating the chicken parmigiana herself when a flurry of dwarves entered the diner with the shrunken-giant, Tiny.

"Where have you guys been?" Kaelyn asked, scanning them up and down. Each looked like they'd been doing manual labour all day, their clothes covered in dust and some even on their face and arms. They looked at Kaelyn warily, and she wanted to roll her eyes.

"Uh, the mines," one of them said. Kaelyn didn't know or remember their names.

Kaelyn didn't believe that for a second, and was considering pushing it, but decided against it. They looked scared of her enough already, anyway. She stuffed another mouthful of the parmigiana in her mouth before grabbing her notebook and pen.

"Sure. What can I get you guys tonight?"

* * *

**A/N**: hi so there's not much to say. i love exploring dark complex characters like ouat's pan so here we are.

this chapter covered episode 2x18 & 2x19 and truthfully wasn't the most exciting but hey it sets everything up for the future. i pretty much skimmed over the episode but that's mainly due to the fact stated in the chapter that kaelyn generally stays out of all the shit going down (for now oops). this entire book will be the last few eps of season 2, then all of season 3.

there are also AU themes with malcolm and rumples past which will be explained throughout. also strong au elements in the end of season 3A onwards, but the overall plot of ouat isn't affected and still has the same outcome in the end. i just changed the way we got to the ending essentially

the story will alternate between flashback chapters to show kaelyn's past and current events, sort of like the real show just focused on kaelyn

also kaelyn is my bitter baby who looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you and holds a grudge for centuries and she's gonna be so fucking fun to write

i hope you all enjoyed, let me know what you think and thank you for reading_!_ xx


	2. Red Star Worthy

**Chapter Two  
Red Star Worthy**

* * *

Kaelyn resisted the urge to be worse than she usually was as she approached Tamara, holding her order in a paper bag. The immortal brunette had been stuck on the early morning shift, which was peak hour for all the Storybrooke inhabitants wanting breakfast. Kaelyn had already been glared at enough times to be dead five times over if looks could kill, but only if she had cared how people looked at her.

"Here you go," Kaelyn chirped, sweetly, handing Tamara the order.

"No mayo, right?" Tamara asked, taking the bag from Kaelyn's hand, the girl noting how she pulled away extremely quickly, as if she was afraid Kaelyn would burn her. She could, of course, just chose not to.

"That's right. Least you know _that _much about Neal," Kaelyn said, slyly, referring to the fact her friend hated mayonnaise with every fibre of his being. Tamara appeared unsure how to respond, as she looked across the counter at the girl who looked like she belonged college but carried the weight of centuries on her shoulders.

Neal's fiancée made the call to not respond, and turned around, colliding head-on with Emma. Kaelyn just rolled her eyes and pulled away from the counter, heading to the back of the diner to collect the drinks for a table she was tending.

"Here you go," Kaelyn repeated her waitress phrase as she balanced the glasses on her tray. She placed a coffee in front of a young-looking man she'd never learnt the name of, and then gave a glass of orange juice to an older man– again that Kaelyn didn't know the name of. She had just pressed the tray against her side, when the older man spoke up.

"You should be in jail."

Kaelyn slowly rounded on him, tilting her head to the side as she looked down. "Oh, really?"

"I'm not scared of you," he scoffed, and Kaelyn visibly narrowed her eyes.

"You should be," she replied, voice calm. The boy sitting across from the man was looking anxious at the confrontation, and a few eyes had already turned to the situation.

"All the stuff I hear about you around town. Haven't lived up to it," the man continued, and Kaelyn looked at him like a mother being disappointed in their child; not understanding his actions or the need to make a scene at the risk of physical danger.

Kaelyn placed a hand on the table, leaning in slightly. "Why don't we take a walk outside? I can live up to it then." She gave him a smirk.

"You think you're smart?" the man spat, and Kaelyn raised her eyebrows.

"I think I'm brilliant," she chirped.

"You bigheaded bitch," the man said abruptly as he stood up, and Kaelyn anticipated him to lunge or throw a hit. Instead, she was drenched by the man's orange juice which she had served him just moments ago. Kaelyn didn't gasp, but winced and opened her mouth as she was soaked, taking a step back from the table. "Walking around like you own the damn place..." the man trailed off as he noticed the look on Kaelyn's face.

"Get out," she said. The man didn't move an inch. "Did you not hear me?" she hissed. The man winced. "Get. Out." The man bolted, leaving his money on the table. The boy that had been with him practically fell out of his chair as he rushed after the man. Kaelyn watched them go before looking around at the rest of the diner that had focused on the scene. They were all watching her warily, the brunette girl whose face was dripping and her shirt soaked through. "Anyone else wanna throw something at me?"

She held up her arms in a challenge sort of way, but everyone turned away instantly. Kaelyn wiped at her face and smirked. Changing an outfit wasn't a huge inconvenience, hardly. She'd just wanted to see the man scared after he'd thrown a drink at her and tried to make a fool of her in public. Ruby came hurrying over with a roll of paper towels, which Kaelyn accepted and used to wipe down her face, properly.

"I'm going upstairs to get changed and... probably throw these away," Kaelyn told her when she was finished cleaning up as best she could, handing the roll back to Ruby.

"Take a break, too," the taller girl offered. Kaelyn looked at her in surprise, having never gotten a freebie like that before. "You can make up for the two hours you missed tonight." Kaelyn regarded her for a moment, the other brunette being as close to an actual friend (aside from Neal and Henry, of course) as the immortal girl had in the town.

"Okay," she said, quietly, giving Ruby a small smile, before turning on her heel and heading up the stairs in the diner.

* * *

"Kaelyn, I need your help."

Said-girl looked up from her midday coffee, an empty plate in front of her from her lunch, as she sat at the back of the diner, coming face to face with Emma. She'd been on her break for just an hour, having received many wary looks when she had come back down, as if they were afraid she'd snap all their necks just cause she wanted to. Granny had, surprisingly, let Kaelyn off the hook about the incident, though the brunette figured it was because – for once – she hadn't started it.

Kaelyn couldn't keep the confused look off her face as she looked up at the older-looking blonde woman. "Okay, colour me surprised."

"That's not–" Emma cut herself off as she slid into the seat opposite Kaelyn, causing the brunette to snort. "When does your shift end?" Emma asked, leaning forward as if she was afraid of being overheard.

"It's been over for an hour," Kaelyn replied, purposely keeping her voice at a normal volume just to mock Emma, sipping on her coffee through a straw.

"What? I thought you worked this shift?" Emma questioned, glancing around the diner now as if she was _seriously _afraid of being overheard.

Kaelyn briefly debated telling her about the incident, which Emma must've missed out on after bumping into Tamara, but didn't. "Got off early," Kaelyn half-lied, enough of the truth that she hoped Emma wouldn't pick it up. Kaelyn may have disliked the woman but she had to give her credit for her 'superpower'. "Why do you wanna know?"

"I know you don't trust, Tamara."

Kaelyn paused, placing her coffee down and looking at Emma intently, her interest piqued. "Go on."

Emma looked almost relieved as she continued, "August tried to warn me about someone, a 'she' before he, well, died."

"Yeah, no one quite explained that to me properly," Kaelyn said, recalling the event she had missed about the guy who died then came back to life as a little boy with no memory of his past last few hours. She was used to being out of the loop, no matter how much she did actually know, she never knew _everything _about what was going on around her. She wasn't royalty or well-liked, people found her annoying just for asking about what was going on.

"Pinocchio," Emma said, simply.

"Sure, why not." Despite the fact that Kaelyn was, herself, a fairytale character, she was still sometimes surprised when people told her who they were. That cricket was the same case, and Kaelyn had had a field day making jokes out of it until Granny told her to stop so they didn't lose business.

"And Tamara has a list of the people who live here with their fairytale names," Emma continued, causing Kaelyn to narrow her eyes as she regarded the woman in front of her. Her mind drifted to her own suspicions over Tamara, but it wasn't her main focus.

"There's something else," Kaelyn stated, knowing Emma was holding back.

"Your name had a red star next to it," Emma admitted after a second. Kaelyn seemed unphased, leaning back in her seat.

"Okay, so I'm either a target or it means 'avoid at all costs'," Kaelyn reasoned, simply. Emma looked surprised, maybe, at the girl's lack of care for the suspicious activity directed at her, but didn't comment. It didn't take long for someone to find out Kaelyn wasn't one to dwell.

"Think it's the second one," Emma told her, looking a lot more concerned than Kaelyn did, even if she was growing more and more annoyed by this Tamara woman.

"Cute." Kaelyn downed the rest of her coffee, before asking the burning question. "But, why come to me?"

"Because I know you have Neal's best interests in mind, just the same as me," Emma answered, and Kaelyn couldn't stop her lips from quirking upwards. Emma looked a little smug, to say the least, thinking she'd figured out even just a bit of the girl wrapped in mystery.

Kaelyn leaned forward on her elbows, her voice now low. "Okay _Saviour_–"

"Please don't call me that."

"–what d'you need me to do?"

* * *

Whatever Kaelyn had imagined Emma's plan to be, it was _not _staking out in her tiny yellow car outside the very diner she had complete access too. They had Henry with them, which made it more bearable. Kaelyn was stuck in the back of the car, practically hidden from view already, while Emma was anxiously waiting in the front, ducking whenever she saw someone who looked remotely like Neal and Tamara.

"You know, I could've just stayed in there," Kaelyn piped up for the third time since they'd been on the stakeout. However long that was.

"No, we've talked about this, you'd draw attention from Neal and we need to make sure he's not coming back for a while," Emma snapped, before taking another sip of her coffee. It had cooled down during the day, and raindrops now dotted the windows of the car and fogged up the glass slightly.

Kaelyn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

"Operation Cobra was about breaking the curse," Henry spoke up suddenly, and Kaelyn looked at him – or the back of his head – in confusion. "This is about keeping Storybrooke secret. We need a new name."

"Operation Tiger," Emma responded immediately.

"Why?" Henry and Kaelyn asked in synch.

"I need a why? You never need a why," Emma retorted, looking amusingly offended by the pair. Kaelyn just smirked.

Having practically half-raised Henry, the pair got along annoyingly well for anyone else. Katelyn and Regina had somehow been close friends and she'd been trusted to babysit Henry as a kid, which had turned into hanging out as he got older. Kaelyn was much more averse to children, but Henry was already like a little brother to her by that point. Besides, she figured, she'd had enough experience with young boys from her time on Neverland.

"How about Operation I Don't Know Why I'm Still Here," Kaelyn remarked, but was largely ignored.

"I want something like the town, something that hides in plain sight. Something like a praying mantis," Henry explained. Emma pondered the thought before ducking as she heard the diner bells jingle from across the street, Kaelyn not even bothering to move.

"Oh. No, it's not them," she said after a few moments. Kaelyn yawned loudly in the back, and Emma shot her a glare as she straightened herself back up. The brunette just gave her a wink.

"Stakeouts are fun," Henry said, looking a lot more excited by the experience than Kaelyn was.

"Not usually," Emma replied, her mouth full as she took a bite of her burger. "But this one?" She glanced over at Henry, her eyes even flitting to Kaelyn for a brief second. "Yeah, kinda."

Kaelyn was silent for a moment before leaning forward and peeping her head between the two front seats. "Hey, so what're the dwarves working on?" she questioned, as casually as someone asking the weather.

Emma looked like she almost choked on her food. "What?"

Kaelyn gave her an unimpressed look. "You heard me."

"Nothing," Emma insisted, coughing a bit. Kaelyn let out a breath, and beside Emma, Henry looked at his mother in confusion.

"You know for someone whose superpower is lie detecting I thought you'd be better at lying yourself," Kaelyn huffed, looking at Emma pointedly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma retorted.

"What are the dwarves doing?" Kaelyn said in exasperation. "It's not that difficult of a–"

"Magic beans."

Kaelyn stopped mid-sentence, tilting her head, before saying, "_Really?_"

Emma nodded, almost reluctantly. "Yeah." Kaelyn resisted rolling her eyes, aware that there'd probably been some agreement to keep the magic beans from the immortal girl.

"They want to go back the Enchanted Forest," Kaelyn realised, clicking her tongue as she figured it out.

"Yeah. Do you?" Emma glanced over her shoulder as the brunette slumped back into the backseat.

"Doesn't matter what I want," she shrugged, knowing it was true. They'd leave without her.

"I do," Henry piped up. He turned to his mother. "We could get, like, a castle– you, me and Neal."

"Oh, hey, whoa," Emma said, instantly, her face almost making Kaelyn laugh at her expense. "No way. That–"

"And Kaelyn could come and babysit me!"

"–we're not–that's not –"

"_Duck!_" the immortal teenager hissed as she spotted Neal and Tamara leaving the diner. Kaelyn watched carefully as her friend offered the woman his umbrella in the rain, the pair laughing as they went. The brunette couldn't help but feel her chest tighten at the romantic gesture.

Henry looked thrilled. "Operation Praying Mantis is on."

* * *

"This is stupid," Kaelyn remarked as they walked up to the diner through the light fall of rain.

"Sometimes I can't believe you're older than all of us," Emma said, flashing the 'teenager' a look of annoyance.

"_Rude_," Kaelyn said in mock hurt, earning her another look from Emma.

"So, once we find proof that Tamara's evil, I guess the wedding's off?" Henry asked, slyly as he trailed the two older people. Kaelyn shot him an almost-sympathetic look.

"Henry, Neal and I are not getting back together. You know that, right?" Emma responded, her voice firm. Kaelyn just watched her carefully, knowing she was trying to assure herself as much as her son.

But Henry was persistent. "I mean, once he's single, it could happen. Thrown together, moonlight, wine..."

"Listen to me, Henry. I am onto Tamara for other reasons, not because she's with Neal, okay?" Emma finally snapped. Henry looked a little hurt, and Kaelyn bit her lip, knowing he was just a boy who wanted his family to be together. Not whatever kind of mess of a family tree it was.

The trio were silent as they entered the diner and padded up the stairs, Emma carefully sneaking around while Kaelyn walked like she normally would. They reached Neal and Tamara's door without any complications.

"Look, this shouldn't take long–" Emma started, fiddling with a paper clip in her fingers, but Kaelyn cut her off with a twitch of her finger, the lock to the door clicking. Kaelyn turned the handle and held the door open for Emma, smugly. "Or we could just do that. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Hey, kid, you're lookout," Kaelyn told Henry, who immediately looked nervous at the idea.

"But– but what do I do? Whistle?" he asked frantically.

"No, that's too obvious. You gotta hit the door," Emma answered instead. Henry just looked confused." You know, like, just like..." Emma kicked the door, "like, kick it like you're bored. Or, like, stumble into it." She performed an example again, Henry still watching curiously. "You know? Just hit the door, okay?"

"Hit the door," Henry concluded.

"Yeah."

"Got it. Now go." He urged the two women forward and into the room, closing the door behind them.

"I think _this _is the most I've ever liked you," Kaelyn mused, Emma even looking a little surprised. Kaelyn didn't dwell on it and got to work on sifting through the room, the brunette opting for places like the drawers than the closet where Emma was looking. Kaelyn quickly realised, of course, that Tamara would've been smarter than to leave evidence lying around. What Kaelyn did find, however, was a pearl. A single pearl that originated from Neverland. It brought a weird feeling to Kaelyn's stomach, holding something that had come from that place.

"Gotcha," Emma whispered as she found a creaky floorboard, causing Kaelyn to zone back in, just as there was a thump at the door.

"Emma!" she heard Neal's voice, and a moment later the door opened and Neal and Henry filed in. Kaelyn jumped to her feet. "Kaelyn?" Neal asked in confusion as he saw the girl. She shrugged, holding up her hands.

"So, you weren't here and the door was open and we just..." Emma cut herself off with a sigh.

Neal looked between the pair. "Emma, what's– what's this about?"

Emma looked reluctant to answer, so Kaelyn did instead. "We don't trust your fiancée."

"Tamara. We think she's playing you," Emma agreed, quickly.

Neal raised his eyebrows. "She's playing me? How?"

"I think she's the _she _August was trying to warn us about," Emma continued, and Kaelyn just watched the train wreck of a confrontation continue. "I didn't wanna tell you until I had proof."

"Oh," Neal chuckled. "Okay, yeah. Well, as long as you broke into our room to spare my feelings– are you out of your mind?"

"He warned us about a woman," Emma insisted.

Neal looked exasperated. "Yeah which covers half the world." Kaelyn couldn't help but snort. "You roped the kid into this?" Neal looked at Henry, before holding out a hand to his friend. "_And _Kaelyn?" She'd have to tell him later it didn't take much from Emma's part to get her breaking in.

"She lied to me. Remember I had that thing with lies?" Emma persisted, grasping at straws now.

"You _thought_ you had a thing with lies. I never bought it."

"Yeah, you did." Neal just rolled his eyes. "Listen to me, Neal. She's got a list of fairy tale characters and who they are– whoever she's gonna give that to, that could blow this whole town right open," Emma explained. Neal looked unconvinced as all hell, and Emma turned to the immortal in the room. "Kaelyn, c'mon back me up here."

She held up her hands. "Oh, no, you're doing just fine without me." Emma gave her another _look_.

"Emma, I helped her make that list. It was to help her come to grips with this place. It's not easy, you know? I mean, she's trying to deal with it for me," Neal told her, looking slightly smug as he knew he was winning this confrontation.

"She has a red star next to Kaelyn's name, okay that's gotta mean something," Emma said, desperately. Neal just shook his head. Emma finally seemed to come to senses just a bit. "Okay, I know what this looks like, but it isn't that. Do I look like a jealous ex?"

"Yes," Kaelyn scoffed.

"Okay, maybe I'm crazy," Emma admitted. "But let's find out." She gestured to where she'd found the off floorboard. "There's a floorboard loose. It shouldn't be. So, let's look under it. If there's nothing there, fine, I back off."

Neal looked around the room, at Henry, before his eyes flicked to Kaelyn's, before he shrugged. "Okay. Yeah, sure. What the hell?" The three moved into the room, Kaelyn hovering, curiously.

"Kaelyn," Emma said, sharply, and the immortal snapped to attention.

"Right. Gotta be useful for something other than my sarcastic remarks," she drawled, simply clenching her hand into a fist and the floorboard was raised. Emma rummaged underneath the plank of wood, and after a few moments, she came up empty.

"Oh," Emma said, when she realised there was nothing under the floorboard. Kaelyn nearly got second-hand embarrassment as Neal sighed.

"Listen, I know Tamara being here is a little awkward–"

"Don't." Emma put the floorboard back and got to her feet. "Henry, let's go." The boy gave Kaelyn a slight wave over his shoulder, which the girl returned, before the pair was gone, leaving Neal crouched on the ground and Kaelyn standing there.

"This is cute, by the way," she commented holding up the pearl pinched between her thumb and index finger. She placed it down on the bedside table, before leaving, too.

* * *

The last hour of Kaelyn's make-up shift was downright boring and uneventful, given it was the latest shift of the evening. Until, Neal came down the stairs and slid into a seat at the bar across from where Kaelyn was drying glasses.

She glanced sideways at him, having at least expected him to be peeved since she'd helped break into his room. "Hey. You're not pissed at me."

"Can't stay mad at you for more than two hours," Neal admitted.

Kaelyn let out a dry laugh. "There are many people who would beg to differ."

"Ruby told me about the drink thing," Neal said after a moment, causing Kaelyn to groan.

"Don't."

"What?"

"Don't look at me like that," Kaelyn elaborated, placing the wine glass she'd been drying down.

"Like what?"

"Like you...feel bad for me," Kaelyn said, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

Neal looked puzzled. "But... I do feel bad for you. Am I not supposed to?"

Kaelyn sighed, dramatically. "I don't need pity, okay? Shit happens, you move on." She shrugged, nonchalantly. "Besides, it wasn't even a big deal."

Neal was looking at her like he couldn't believe what she'd just said. "Sometimes I can't believe _I'm _the younger one here."

"Hey, at least you don't look it," Kaelyn fired back, grinning slyly. Neal rolled his.

"Can I just have a beer?" Neal was already rummaging in his wallet, but Kaelyn lightly slapped his hand over the counter.

"Yeah? I can make it on the house," she told him, leaning her elbow on the counter.

Neal put his money away. "Okay, then yes, go ahead," he agreed, easily.

"So, where's the fiancée?" Kaelyn asked casually as she opened the fridge to pull out a beer.

"Uh, had something on–thanks." He accepted the drink, cracking it open as Kaelyn regarded him. "Don't give me that look. I know you _and _Emma don't trust her but–"

"But she's suspicious," Kaelyn finished off for him. "And we have your best interests in mind," she added, hoping the sentimental value would smooth things over like that stuff was supposed to.

"If you did, you'd make more of an effort to get to know her," Neal retorted, and Kaelyn arched an eyebrow.

"Hey, it's not my fault the bi– woman, the woman is terrified of me," Kaelyn defended herself, earning a pointed look from Neal. "Okay, yeah, maybe it is my fault. But, have you even watched my movies? I'm like a horror movie villain. No wonder she has a red star next to my name on her freaky list."

Neal sighed, almost sadly. "Look, she's adjusting, she just wants to get to know everyone here." Kaelyn's face remained hard. "Why don't we have lunch tomorrow, the three of us?" Neal suggested.

"No."

"Kaelyn."

"Why is it so important to you that I like her? Hm?" Kaelyn finally asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because you're my best friend." Kaelyn's face softened, caught off guard by the confession. Neal just continued, "And it's important that you like the woman I'm going to marry."

"You never liked Peter," Kaelyn said, so quietly she hadn't really expected Neal to hear.

"What?" Kaelyn knew she shouldn't have said that, as Neal looked at her the way he did, and Kaelyn felt her heart clench the way it did whenever she even remotely thought of the boy on Neverland. "Kaelyn, no, this is not–"

"Stop _worrying _about what I think of her," she cut the Peter topic off. "Okay, I like, like, two people. You know that." Neal snorted and took a swig of his beer. "But, also know that it's your choice. And usually I would never say this, but don't let my always-bitter opinion stop you if you _really _want to marry this woman."

Neal's eyes widened. "_Really_?"

Kaelyn gave him a stony look. "Yes, and if you ever repeat this to anyone–"

"You'll have to kill me?"

The two friends just laughed together.

* * *

**A/N**: this is what i like to call a relationship-builder because literally nothing else happened in this chapter buuuuut the next one finally has some action and a slice of angst so stay tuned. i know the story's moving slowly right now but i really didn't want to throw them straight into neverland and also wanted to show kaelyn's place in the town before operation save henry.

also the kaelfire friendship is my favourite thing btw okay? okay.

thank you for reading, let me know what you thought and i'll see you next time_! xx_


	3. Immortal Teenage Detective

**Chapter Three  
Immortal Teenage Detective**

* * *

"No."

"Kaelyn–"

"_No_." Emma looked at the girl like how a mother regarded a stubborn child, and Kaelyn wondered if Henry had received that look before. They were currently in the Diner, Kaelyn enjoying her morning drink and breakfast, ignoring some of the wary looks she was receiving from usual customers who had witnessed the previous day. Emma stood above her, a hand resting on the table as she looked down at the brunette girl who was warming her hands on her drink. "Okay, it's my day off, I just want to drink my tea and go scare that guy who threw his drink on me," Kaelyn added, sipping her tea and arching an eyebrow at Emma.

"A guy threw a drink on you?" was all that Emma could ask. Kaelyn prematurely swallowed her tea, gagging at the burning sensation.

She raised both eyebrows at the blonde woman. "Really?" she managed; throat still scalded.

Emma blinked, before returning to why she had originally decided to bother the immortal girl yet another day in a row. Kaelyn had almost accepted the routine. _Almost_. "Okay, okay. Regina's missing," Emma told her, sliding into the seat opposite her. It wasn't a booth today, which put the two annoyingly close together.

Kaelyn shrugged. "And?"

"So are the beans," Emma said. Kaelyn was still uninterested, and took another sip of her tea – carefully – and looked at Emma over the rim of the cup. "I think it's Tamara," she finally admitted. Kaelyn placed her drink down and leaned forward.

"How do you think she did it?" she asked, in a saturated voice. Emma either didn't realise she was being mocked or didn't care as she continued, believing to have piqued Kaelyn's interested.

"I don't know," the blonde said. "But it has to be her," she added as Kaelyn gave her a look.

"Yeah, because if you're wrong, you'll look like a fucking idiot," Kaelyn scoffed, finding amusement in the situation. Emma stared her down until Kaelyn sighed. "Fine, okay, I hate her, too."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You hate everyone."

"Not a total lie," Kaelyn said, unbothered. Emma looked a little surprised that she hadn't taken offence, but didn't say anything. "So, what do you _actually _want?" Kaelyn asked, injecting a hint of irritation into her voice.

Emma sighed out her nose. "Can you watch Henry while we take care of everything?"

Kaelyn paused in bringing her tea to her lips. After a few seconds of deliberating that _yes, _Emma had come to the second – if not the first – most feared member in town to look after her son, Kaelyn leaned back in her seat. "Great," she said, passively. "So, now I'm the immortal teenage babysitter."

She nearly laughed at the almost-panicked expression on Emma's face at the thought of offending her. "No, it's not that–"

Kaelyn actually did laugh this time, cutting of whatever excuse the blonde could come up with. "Relax. I don't care," she dismissed. Emma looked at her, cautiously. "Regina's missing? Cool, doesn't affect me. Beans missing? Great, they weren't doing anything for me anyway. Henry needs a babysitter? Sweet, I've been doing it for ten years already and he's one of two people I like," she explained, casually, like she was discussing the weather and not, potentially, the fate of people's lives.

Emma was quiet for a few moments, studying the blasé girl in front of her, who only looked back, knowing she had all the time in the world to waste. "Is this really how you live your life?" Emma finally asked.

"Whatever you do you mean?" Kaelyn asked, innocently, tilting her head to the side.

"Not getting involved, not caring, unless something directly affects you," Emma told her. Kaelyn scoffed and ran her tongue over her teeth, Emma watching her carefully.

"Well, _honey_, when you've lived as long as I have and seen the shit I have, self-preservation becomes first nature," Kaelyn told her, but her voice now had an edge, one that was only sharpened by years of survival and experience. The kind that only someone who had seen too much, lived too long, could possess.

Kaelyn saw Emma's face shift at the change of tone, looking briefly caught off guard by her sudden seriousness. "You sound like Gold."

The brunette scoffed, the darkness gone from her voice as she turned her mask back into childish offence. "You wish," she mused, sipping the last of her tea for the morning, and preparing for a day of child-sitting.

* * *

Hanging out with Henry was nowhere near as much fun as it usually was, and that was saying something given that Kaelyn had developed a distaste for children since she had regained her memories. Henry was the exception to that rule, but today he was about as entertaining as Kaelyn arguing with one of the dwarves.

She had taken him to the playground originally, a usual favourite of his, but he had appeared low on energy and almost sulked around. Knowing the kid liked books, she then dragged him to the library. She would never tell him she'd used her magic to get in, since who knew where Belle was these days? But again, he had only seemed to be half-there. Kaelyn pretended not to be bothered by it, at first. Or bothered by the fate of Regina or the beans. It had piqued her curiosity, but if someone had come to kill Regina then Kaelyn herself was fine.

The realisation dawned on her then, as she sat in a small patch of sunlight, Henry to her left skimming the bookshelves idly. In the light, Kaelyn's dark eyes were illuminated, the indigo tinge that was usually hard to catch when she wasn't straining herself almost gleaming. "It's Regina, isn't it?" she asked, her voice easily cutting through the silence. Henry stopped, his finger still pressed against the rows of books, and turned to her. "_That's _why you're so down. You're worried."

Henry looked at her evenly, and was probably the only person who wouldn't question her even knowing what worry was, since so many people believed her to be careless and above everything and everyone. Sure, maybe she was, but Kaelyn knew she'd turn into a raging storm if Henry or Neal were in danger and she wasn't doing anything to help. Everyone else would just be in her way.

"Well, what if they _don't _find her?" Henry finally said, moving away from the shelves to get closer to Kaelyn so they weren't yelling across the room. Not that they needed to, anyway, the silence was easy to break. "And– and they wanted to get her in trouble even before they realised she already was," Henry continued, and Kaelyn arched an eyebrow, not knowing what he meant by that.

She didn't question it. Knowing Regina, and their few similarities, she'd probably done something for herself and Emma and her righteous group had tried to stop her, before finding out the evil queen was already in trouble.

Kaelyn scanned Henry's face, cautiously. "Kid, it's Emma," she reassured, knowing Henry idolised his biological mother. And that, however annoying Kaelyn found her, the blonde woman was completely capable of figuring out what the hell was happening.

"_I know _but… but Regina's my family, too," Henry insisted, before looking away, almost bashful. Kaelyn gnawed on her bottom lip, imagining what would happen if Regina wasn't found, or if her _body _was found, and how it would hit Henry. The happy-go-lucky kid who had never treated her with any hint of fear or wariness, before and after the curse was lifted, who had vouched for her coming back to the Enchanted Forest with them when everyone else would've rather cut her out. One of two people that the immortal teenager actually gave a shit about.

"Okay, we're going to the Diner," Kaelyn said, abruptly, getting to her feet. Henry looked at her in surprise, having to jog after her as she was already heading for the door to leave the library.

"What? Why?" he questioned as they reached the door. Kaelyn twisted the locking mechanism with her magic and looked down at the brunette boy.

"Food," she said, the door swinging open without her touching it, "duh."

* * *

The walk to the Diner only took a few minutes, the cold, grey day nipping at Kaelyn's nose. She pushed the door open, the familiar bell chiming as the brunette pair entered. Ruby looked up from the counter, giving Kaelyn a small, polite smile. Instead of going to sit at a table for lunch like she usually would on her day off, Kaelyn ushered Henry over to the counter.

"Ruby, hey," she greeted.

"Hey, Kaelyn," she said, as kindly as ever. The two had never been friends, but considering they lived _and _worked in such close proximity, there had always been a level they had to maintain. And besides, Ruby was one of the few people who didn't outwardly express any sort of fear or dislike towards Kaelyn, though maybe honesty would've served better. "What can I do for you?"

"Think you could entertain Henry for a while?" Kaelyn asked, looking down at the boy who just looked confused by the shift in babysitters. Ruby looked confused, too, her bright eyes flicking between the pair.

"Sure," she agreed, sounding a little uncertain. Kaelyn just nodded once and made to leave but Henry caught her wrist. If it was anyone else, she probably would've twisted out of their grip roughly, but Kaelyn calmly turned around to look the young boy.

"Where're you going?" Henry asked, his curiosity almost hiding his distress.

"Is it about the guy from yesterday?" Ruby chimed in, looking a little nervous. Henry furrowed his brows at the comment but Kaelyn rolled with it.

"Yeah. Of course," she answered. Ruby rolled her eyes, knowing that any form of vengeance from Kaelyn meant someone was going to get hurt. "Have you seen Neal?" Kaelyn questioned, suddenly wondering why Emma hadn't had Henry's own father look after him for the day.

"I think he left with Emma. It looked serious," Ruby told her. Kaelyn rolled her eyes.

"Son of a bitch," she breathed, knowing Emma had probably dragged him into the Regina search party.

"You shouldn't say bitch," Henry said, meekly. Kaelyn looked down at him, _almost _fondly.

"Oh, you are too pure for this world," she mused, ruffling his flat hair. "Don't have too much fun without me, kid," she teased as she left, trying not to waste anymore time, the familiar bell chiming on her way out.

Moving across town was easy for her, as no one stopped to talk to her or perhaps they didn't dare to. 'The guy from yesterday' was hardly on her mind as Kaelyn arrived at Regina's house, which was more like a mansion. Kaelyn imagined her room at the Diner – which was all she needed – that was probably the same size as one of Regina's bathrooms.

But Kaelyn didn't care about the interior of the building. She needed Regina's mark, something personal and attributed to her. She reached the door after climbing the steps, and brushed a finger over the door handle, feeling the buzz as she found what she was looking for. Fingerprints. Hoping that the most dominant prints she could identify _were _in fact Regina's, she focused on them, where they had come from, and where their owner now was. Kaelyn's eyes rolled back as she performed the spell, her abilities locking onto Regina's location like a tracking signal.

Kaelyn came to with a sharp breath, her hand falling from the door handle as she slumped against the wall of the house, her energy significantly drained from the tracking spell. She dreaded how long it would take to regain the energy she had wasted. Or lost. She raised a shaking hand to wipe at the thin trail of blood leaking from her nose, and scowled at the red on her fingertips. She hardly ever pushed herself enough for her body to give a visible sign of exhaustion.

"This better be worth it," Kaelyn muttered to herself as she headed off in the direction her magic pulled her, thinking only of Henry as she went. Again, no one bothered her, though maybe that was because her lack of energy had caused her permanent scowl to look even more prominent, with hooded eyes and an almost unsteady walk.

The tracking spell brought Kaelyn to the Storybrooke Cannery and Co. and the smell of fish in the air was almost overwhelming. There was no one around except for the loud seagulls, and Kaelyn went for the first door she saw. She clicked her fingers and the door unlocked with a click, and a pain stabbed her head. She cringed at her choice to use the tracking magic now as she consciously _pushed_ the door inward and headed inside.

It was almost completely dark, the only light from the high-rise windows, but it was still shrouded in shadow. And completely silent. Kaelyn snuck forward, through what appeared to be a storage room filled with boxes and shelves. The dim light filtered through, showing dust particles in the air, as she reached the back of the room and another door. Kaelyn winced as she had to mentally unlock it again and pushed forward, coming to find herself in a bleak hallway.

She continued forward, slowly yet silently, sticking to the general direction of where the tracking spell was leading her. She briefly wondered what Regina was doing here, but decided she didn't care. Kaelyn just needed to find the woman and go home. Kaelyn tensed as she heard something, faint footsteps. She swallowed thickly, twitching her fingers, and leapt around the corner. She slammed the first body she could detect to the wall, raising a shield around herself just as a gun went off.

"Okay, ow." She winced; the bullet having ricocheted off her shoulder. Usually her shields would be strong enough to deem her impervious to something like a bullet, but her reserves were still down and the charged piece of metal had managed to bruise her.

"Kaelyn?" David asked from where he was held against the wall. Kaelyn finally glanced up and registered that it was him.

"Yes. That's my name," she responded.

"What're you doing here?" Mary Margaret now appeared, eyes wide as she saw Kaelyn still holding David against the wall, her pale hand shaking with the effort. She sighed and released him, not for any other reason than the fact she couldn't waste magic on suspending someone who wasn't going to harm her. Yet.

"I care about Henry, Henry cares about what happens to Regina, I have the power to help her so…here I am," Kaelyn admitted. Mary Margaret and David looked almost shocked, then maybe a little proud, but didn't say anything of the sort.

"How'd you find this place?" David asked, instead.

"You guys underestimate an eighteen-year-old immortal _way _too much," she told them, casually spinning on her heel. For a moment, she looked like an actual teenager without a care in the world, filled with innocence and just possessing a sharp mouth. But then her eyes would harden, or glint in the way only someone who had seen too much could have.

Kaelyn was tempted to ask how _they _had found where Regina was, but frankly didn't care enough. They were here now, weren't they? "Sorry for shooting you," David finally said after some moments of silence, eyeing the shoulder he'd struck. It showed no physical mark that it had been shot at, but it hurt like a bitch. Kaelyn just shrugged, choosing not to dwell. David brought a walkie talkie to his lips. "Emma, Neal, we've got Kaelyn."

"Kaelyn?" Neal questioned, his voice grainy through the machine, at the same time Kaelyn said, "Neal?"

"Where's Henry?" Emma chimed in, a hint of panic in her voice.

Kaelyn rolled her eyes. "He's fine, _mum_." She could imagine Emma's expression, the one she had developed especially for looking at Kaelyn. Before Emma could ask more questions, Kaelyn felt an internal tug and her head snapped up to look down the hall. Her sudden alertness caught Mary Margaret's attention, and she looked at her warily.

The tracking spell was fading, and that only happened if the _person_ it was attached to was fading. Without a warning Kaelyn sprinted off, ignoring David calling her name, the sound soon replaced by him and Mary Margaret running after her. Within a few dozen strides and three turns, the sound of screaming could be heard, and then the hum of electricity. Kaelyn skidded to a halt at an open door.

"Creepy hospital guy?" Kaelyn asked before she could stop herself. Greg Mendell turned to her in alarm, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. He was headed for a machine, which had wires attached to a body lying on a metal table. _Regina_.

"Don't move!" David shouted as he arrived a moment later, firing several shots at the machine. Mendell looked between the two, a man with a raised gun and a girl with terrifying power at her fingertips, before he knocked the equipment forward with a clatter and made a run for it. David and Kaelyn pursued in an instant, Mendell turning the corner out the back door.

"We can't leave her!" Mary Margaret cried, stopping David in his tracks. Kaelyn wasn't so easily swayed. "Kaelyn, please! She'll die if we don't get her help!" The brunette clenched her jaw, the seconds in which she could catch up with Mendell slipping through her fingertips.

"_Fine_," she growled, stalking back over. Mary Margaret looked like she'd just achieved something amazing, and Kaelyn sent her a harsh look. "Only because I wouldn't have enough energy to catch up with Mendell by now, _and _I did only come for Regina." The bright look faded from Mary Margaret's face as Kaelyn felt Regina's pulse. It was faint.

"Emma?" David said into the walkie talkie as he came to Kaelyn's side. "You gotta block the exists."

"Already on it. You guys all right?" Emma replied.

"Besides the point," Kaelyn snapped, knowing the question wasn't directed to her anyway. "Mendell's coming your way."

A beat passed. "Greg Mendell," Emma said.

"Creepy hospital guy if you need another identification," Kaelyn responded, lightly, before the signal cut off. Kaelyn looked up to find David and Mary Margaret both looking at her. "What?"

"_You _helped save someone today," Mary Margaret said, sounding almost fond. Kaelyn raised her eyebrows, and looked to David to see he seemed to agree with the statement.

"Oh, god," Kaelyn scoffed. Mary Margaret furrowed her brows at the reaction. "I didn't do shit," Kaelyn told her. "I performed a tracking spell which drained half my energy, you guys were already here and he didn't even put up a fight so, really, I wasn't needed and lost some of my magic reserves for nothing. Where's the fun in that?" Kaelyn shrugged, nonchalantly to conclude.

"So, you're saying it was all a _waste?_" Mary Margaret asked in disbelief.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Kaelyn responded. The former Snow White looked halfway between horrified and disgusted. Kaelyn snorted. "Don't look so surprised Miss I-wear-my-moral-compass-on-my-sleeve. Some of us just know better."

David intervened between the unfeeling girl and his partner who looked as close to angered as Kaelyn could imagine. "Let's just get her back to Mother Superior. Okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

Kaelyn watched as Regina had a magic wand waved over her, Mother Superior looking solemn as she turned to them. David and Mary Margaret looked anxious, while Kaelyn looked bored as she stood in the kitchen, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. Her energy had slowly replenished from the drink, but she planned to go to the Diner and get herself a full course meal to properly recover before she'd been held back to make sure Regina was okay.

"Now that the cuff is off, she's gonna be okay. Given time and rest, her magic will return," Mother Superior informed, just as the door to the apartment opened. Kaelyn turned to see Emma, who was alone and looking completely detached from reality. David was on his feet in an instant.

"What happened?" he asked as he approached her. He stopped when he saw her face, which Kaelyn now recognised as grief. "What is it?" David said, more cautiously this time.

Kaelyn spoke up. "Where's Neal?" Emma's eyes shifted to the brunette, who looked terrifying in the moment, standing tensely and eyes boring into her. A strange feeling had twisted itself in Kaelyn's stomach.

There was a beat of silence, before Emma managed to find her voice. "He's gone. She killed him."

Any silence that would've followed the announcement was shattered by the sound of breaking china. Eyes snapped to Kaelyn, whose hands were empty now, as broken shards of a coffee cup and hot liquid surrounded her feet. The brunette had gone stiff, and couldn't help her eyes from widening or remove the burning sensation behind them. _You can cry later, you can cry later_, she chanted to herself, but her emotional response had already been seen.

David pulled Emma towards him and sat her down. "Emma, I'm so sorry." Mary Margaret meanwhile, looked at Kaelyn cautiously. She had barely moved since the announcement that her best friend was _dead_. Gone. And she didn't have to ask who _she _was. Tamara had done it. Kaelyn felt anger flush her system, and her stunned face rearranged itself into calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that could only be hiding a storm beneath it.

She knew her eyes were still watery, but the look on her face was anything but grief-stricken, as she gave Mary Margaret a warning look. Kaelyn stepped over the remains of her coffee and left the kitchen, and then the house, throwing herself into the cool night air. Her eyes burned as her unshed tears were hit by a breeze, and she clenched her fists at her side.

Kaelyn did not make herself a meal when she returned to the Diner. In fact, she walked right past where Henry – who had yet to know what had happened and wouldn't hear it from Kaelyn – and Ruby were and straight up to her room, her eyes raking across the door that was once Neal's room. Referring to him in past tense made it worse, but she wasn't about to go into denial.

With the door shut, the girl slammed her fist into her mirror, a crack spreading out from where she struck it. She pulled away, blooding trickling from her knuckles, as she stared up at her cracked reflection. Tears were already leaking from her eyes, but she didn't wipe them away, and the pain shooting up her knuckles and arm kept her grounded.

She thought of all the times Tamara had been right in front of her, and felt the familiar pulse of anger inside her. The thirst for revenge, to make someone hurt the way they had hurt her. Kaelyn had played the calm, but now she was going to become the storm.

* * *

**A/N**: this is incredibly late i'm sorry but we're back and getting closer to s3. thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favourited this story so far_! _in terms of this chapter i'm curious about feedback to kaelyn's character since she's not my usual type to write and neal's death and her emotional response to it in this chapter was a lot harder to keep in character than i expected.

anyway, i hope everyone enjoyed and please review your thoughts and i'll see you next time_! xx_


	4. Wrath of the Storm

**Chapter Four  
Wrath of the Storm**

* * *

Kaelyn did not sleep well that night. Grief was not a feeling she was familiar with. She had long ago developed the tendency to distance herself from people for that very reason, so that when they inevitably died, she could move on like nothing happened. But she couldn't do that this time, not with Baelfire, and her dreams were haunted by times they had spent together on the wild island of Neverland, when he was just a boy and a spark still burned bright in her eye.

The immortal teenager woke with more energy than she had expected, but the dark rings under her eyes _were _expected. Tears had dried on her cheek but she washed them away, and her hand stung under the water. She looked down at it, the pain from breaking her mirror once again grounding her. She could've healed it easily, but didn't, as she watched the water run red under the sink. When she glanced up, she was met with nothing but a bloodstained and distorted reflection of herself, to which she scowled and looked back down at the sink.

And the anger had not disappeared, if anything it was stronger. A deadly force simmering just under the surface that Kaelyn was prepared and willing to wield with lethal precision. And she knew full well who she wanted to use it against. The specifications of Neal's death were never clear, but she knew Tamara had at least shot him, and Greg had tortured Regina, and the pair cared for each other. Kaelyn had long ago learnt the best revenge didn't necessarily have to involve harming the target.

She headed downstairs minutes later with her hand bandaged and in a worse mood than ever before. She knew where she was going, and her pride would not stand in her way of, for once, seeking out the Saviour. Revenge had always been something she prioritised.

People shot the brunette wary looks as she stormed through the Diner, and Ruby briefly looked at her, but seemed to think better of stopping her for a chat. Kaelyn wondered if people knew yet what had happened, that there were two people amongst them prepared to kill. And that Neal had paid the price first. She wondered, quickly, if someone had yet to tell Henry, or even Gold. She figured not, since Gold would've been at her doorstep in a second blaming her for it.

Despite this, eyes still followed her, but they swiftly looked away as someone stepped directly in front of her, forcing the brunette to stop dead in her tracks. Kaelyn clenched her jaw and looked up to meet the person's face. It was the infamous drink-thrower.

"_What_?" she snapped, and the man swallowed thickly, as Kaelyn's patience ticked by.

"I… wanted to say sorry for–"

On literally any other day Kaelyn would've enjoyed the effort it took for him to apologise to her, or been more smug, or pushed it to see how much she could scare him. But not today, and she was surprised her face hadn't conveyed that the second he'd blocked her path for a useless apology she had never wanted.

"I'm not working today," she told him, "and you're in my way," she hissed, before shoving past him roughly, not even glancing back as she left the Diner and headed for Emma and co's house.

She knocked roughly, multiple times, tossing her head back impatiently. She knew the grand Saviour would have a plan, and that she loved Neal enough to want to seek revenge. Yes, Emma may have been an excellent liar and lie detector, but Kaelyn was far from clueless, and had seen the way Emma acted with Neal. And if Kaelyn knew anything to be stronger than anger, it was love, as sick as that sounded in her head.

This time, however, Kaelyn just wasn't sitting around and waiting for Emma to come to her for help. Kaelyn wanted her revenge, and she knew Emma could help her get it.

No one had yet answered the door, and after a few seconds of considering, Kaelyn mentally unlocked the door and let herself in, the door swinging inward on its hinges. Kaelyn closed it behind her and glanced around, not seeing anyone, which was unusual for the house. She had only been in it a few times. She was rarely invited to their little meetings – as expected – and had never been particularly close with Mary Margaret before all their memories had been returned.

"Kaelyn?" came a voice. The brunette turned to see Regina coming from the back side of the house. She still looked pale and drained from yesterday's ordeal, but Kaelyn's unsolicited entry seemed to have perked her right up. "What're you doing here?" she asked, suspiciously.

"Looking for the saviour," Kaelyn answered. "For once," she added.

"And your revenge, I assume?" Regina said. Kaelyn expected an accusatory tone, but it came out as more of a statement.

"Oh, yeah," Kaelyn smirked. "Absolutely." There were some moments she had imagined being friends with the former Evil Queen, in a world where their similarities helped them get along rather than clash. They weren't necessarily enemies, but Kaelyn had been a thorn in her side back in the Enchanted Forest, she knew that. She also knew she'd babysat Henry and spent nights over at their mansion for a decade when Regina knew full who she was, so she digressed.

Where is she?" Kaelyn finally asked, looking around at the empty house.

Regina looked hesitant, the kind of hesitant when handling something dangerous. "They went to tell Henry and Gold what happened," she answered, cautiously, obviously gauging Kaelyn's reaction.

She gave almost none, but she knew her eyes had hardened at the mention. If anyone could sense revenge and anger in a person without visible cues, it would be Regina. Knowing this, Kaelyn simply took a seat at the countertop.

"Well, then you won't mind if I wait until they get back." It wasn't a question.

A few beats of silence passed, Kaelyn's eyes drifting to nowhere in particular and Regina still standing awkwardly, before she spoke up. "I supposed it's worth telling you we're all dying anyway."

That got a reaction out of Kaelyn, who tilted her head ever so slightly so she was looking at Regina. "What?"

"Tamara and Greg took a trigger," Regina vaguely explained.

Kaelyn tried not to show how much those two names boiled her blood, and instead asked, "A _what_?"

Regina looked annoyed, as if she didn't want to repeat it. "If it's activated magic disappears from this world and we all die."

Kaelyn paused. _That _was bad. Almost as bad as letting Tamara and Greg escape. Death had never been much of an option to Kaelyn, who had effortlessly lived for centuries and recovered from many wounds. But this didn't sound like an option, or something you could survive and endure. And, deep down, that scared Kaelyn. It disturbed the bubble of stability she had built over decades, where sickness and injury could not harm her, and that she would never die from her age. Now, she had a guaranteed death.

Regina was looking at Kaelyn unsurely, for her face had gone slack, while her eyes burnt. The need to find and punish Tamara and Greg only increased. They had killed Neal already, and deserved what was coming for that. But she refused to let them kill her as well.

Suddenly the door opened, and Henry, Emma, Mary Margaret and David all entered at once. For a boy who'd just lost his father, Henry looked incredibly calm, especially compared to Kaelyn's poised and ready to strike attitude.

"Oh, Henry!" Regina exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace her son, while the others looked warily at the immortal teenager in the room, who had definitely _not _been invited.

"Kaelyn," Mary Margaret said, simply acknowledging her.

"Hi," Kaelyn managed, straightening up in the barstool at the kitchen counter.

"How'd you get in?" Mary Margaret asked, sounding wary.

"The evil queen let me in," Kaelyn responded, and she was not blind to Regina's glare.

"Did you need–?" Mary Margaret's question was cut off by a sudden earthquake that shook the apartment. It was short, but powerful, knocking over plates and shaking the decorations on the wall. Kaelyn had leapt from her seat, as if that would help her feel more stable. Everyone, it seemed, had gone tense, holding onto something or someone for support.

Emma looked stunned. "Regina, was that…?"

"Yes, the diamond was activated." Kaelyn had never thought a sentence as ridiculous as that could sound so serious, and cause her to actually feel some sort of dread.

"So, we're all gonna die," Henry said, sounding panicked. Kaelyn felt a spark of familiarity in her, as she looked at the boy she had practically half-raised with Regina and grown annoyingly attached to, whom reminded her so much of Neal when she looked into his face. _Oh, god, he looked like Neal._

"You were born here, so you'll live," Regina immediately reassured him, unknowingly partly reassuring Kaelyn, too.

Henry looked between all the people standing around him, eyes even lingering on Kaelyn. "But… I'll be alone," he finally said, his voice sounding heavy for someone so young.

"I'm so sorry Henry," Regina murmured. Kaelyn briefly wondered _why_ she was sorry, or if that was just something mothers felt obligated to say when something went wrong. She wouldn't know.

"Don't worry, kid, it's not gonna happen," Kaelyn told him, and eyes snapped to her in suspicion. She felt herself flush slightly with anger at the way they looked at her, like she was going to hurt them or just lash out. True, just not at them. But they seemed to believe they had done something to warrant her violence, and if they continued to treat her as such they just might.

Either way, Henry's eyes lit up at Kaelyn's reassurance, and Emma gave Kaelyn perhaps the first relieved look ever. "Kaelyn's right, we won't let it happen," Emma told her son, before rounding on Regina. "You did this now make it stop," she instructed, voice harsh now.

"I can't, there's no way," Regina told her, quickly.

"Well, figure it out. It's your fault," Emma retorted, raising her voice.

Kaelyn rolled her eyes. "And we're back here," she drawled, flashing back to the time when Emma had first rolled into town and clashed with Regina.

"_Stop_!" Henry interrupted, literally coming between his two mothers. Everyone looked to him, surprised. Henry hardly ever raised his voice like that, and it demanded attention. "I already lost my dad. I don't wanna lose anybody else," he said, softer now he had gained their attention. Kaelyn's eyes fell. "We have to work together," Henry concluded.

Eyes immediately turned to Kaelyn, and she pursed her lips, in a rare moment of looking like an everyday disgruntled teenager. "Well, from where I'm standing you need my help," she said, innocently.

"You just want to get to Tamara," Emma said, defensively. Ah, so their little moment had passed and they were back to square one. Kaelyn could play that.

"So?" Kaelyn shrugged a shoulder. "Stopping them stops the trigger. Isn't that what you want?"

"We want them alive," Emma told her, tightly. Kaelyn detected the lie, however. Emma wanted her revenge, Kaelyn knew she would, but she also knew wouldn't do it.

"So now that everyone's life is at stake you don't want my help? After all those times you bothered me at the Diner?" Kaelyn retaliated, as usual hardly caring for the filter between her head and her mouth. "They killed Neal. How can you be okay with that?" She delivered the killing blow. The reactions were instant, the others clearly surprised by Kaelyn mentioning Neal, and Emma's eyes had burned with a new ferocity.

"_I'm not_," Emma ground out. "I'm also not okay with killing them," she added, quickly. Kaelyn didn't miss the way her eyes had darted to Henry. Of course, Kaelyn realised, she'd never spoil her image by killing people in Henry's presence. Or her parents', for that matter, and Kaelyn knew first-hand how uptight Mary Margaret got about people's lives, whether they were innocent or not.

Kaelyn, however, had no such qualms. "It's a little something called revenge," she said, smoothly.

"_Revenge _isn't _justice_," Mary Margaret emphasised, taking a step forward. Kaelyn arched an eyebrow at the surprising strength in her voice.

"Maybe not to you," Kaelyn said, laughing a little. Mary Margaret looked unnerved. "At least this time around." That was a low blow, Kaelyn knew it, but she refused to be lectured about something Mary Margaret pretended she had and would never do. "Either way, I'm gonna get involved. It's up to you how easy it is," Kaelyn concluded. The others clearly considered it, weighing up the chances of Kaelyn being of genuine help and the potential for her to go on a rampage.

"What made you this way?" Mary Margaret asked, voice fragile. Apparently, Kaelyn's reference to Cora had hit her harder than expected.

"I didn't come for a moral lecture, Snow White," Kaelyn said, bitterly. She had been vulnerable in front of her once, and never again, she told herself. "Do you want my help or not?" Kaelyn asked, not bothering to hide the edge from her voice. Henry looked a little shocked by the conversation and the words that had left his babysitter's mouth, but she pretended not to care.

"As… interesting as this conversation is, I'd say the lad has a point," a male voice suddenly interrupted. Kaelyn rolled her eyes overdramatically and turned to see another unwelcome guest, who had apparently managed to sneak in without any realising as Kaelyn went on about revenge.

"Oh. It's _you_," Kaelyn sneered.

Hook had only taken a single step forward, and David didn't waste a moment and punched him in the face. "That was for the last time we met." Kaelyn couldn't help the grin that graced her features.

"Bloody hell," Hook moaned, lancing back and briefly holding his nose.

David then drew his gun to the surprise of Kaelyn. She didn't think he had it in him. "Tell us why you're here before I use something _other _than my fist," he threatened, sounding dead serious. Kaelyn still had the feeling, however, that he was too much like his wife and daughter to actually commit to it.

"I think threatening to kill me seems a bit redundant when we're all about to die anyway," Hook sighed, hardly phased by the weapon pointed at him. So, apparently, he hadn't changed much since Kaelyn had last seen him.

"No thanks to you." Kaelyn looked at Emma curiously at her words. "Regina told us you were working with Tamara and Greg to get your revenge."

"Well, that's before they told me I had to die to get it."

Kaelyn's reaction was instant and the next second Hook was pinned to the wall by an invisible force, the immortal teenager's outstretched hand shaking as she held him there, barely even paying heed to the words he'd spoken. Hook let out a hiss, and Kaelyn felt the power ripple under her skin. She hadn't known her former annoyance had had something to do with Neal, Tamara or Greg, and he was as good as them in her eyes.

"Kaelyn, wait!" Mary Margaret cried as Emma turned Henry away. Kaelyn did not wait, and Mary Margaret, despite her cry, did not move closer to try and stop her.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't squeeze the life out of you right now," Kaelyn snarled. Hook looked down at her, and he was _smirking_, as expected. It frustrated her that she had him in a death grip and he hardly seemed afraid, though she supposed she would be the same in his position.

"You want revenge, eh?" he asked, as casually as one asking about the weather. The air in the house had gone very tense, the others watching on apprehensively, no one quite sure how the confrontation between the two would go.

"Shamelessly, I admit," Kaelyn said, just as casually now.

"Well, will you die to get it?" Hook asked. Kaelyn _hated _how she faltered. She knew why he'd gone to all the trouble in the last few weeks to mess with them. He wanted revenge on Rumpelstiltskin for killing someone close to him, based off what she'd heard. But he wasn't willing to die for it. The drunk, one-handed pirate who had actively been a villain to them was admitting he wouldn't die for revenge, which made Kaelyn look worse, as she held him – someone probably not directly involved in Neal's murder – up by his throat.

He'd hit her pride, whether he meant to or not, and she _hated _that.

Kaelyn very, _very_ slowly let Hook down, looking at him warily. The others around them had similar reactions, clearly not expecting that outcome. "You're still on thin ice, pirate," Kaelyn bit out, not wanting her reputation to completely lose its credibility.

"Of course." He smirked, which infuriated Kaelyn even more.

"We don't have time for this," Emma hissed, coming to stand between Kaelyn and Hook, the brunette still looking ready to kill if the man gave her the tiniest reason to. "We have a real problem."

"Which is why I'm here, 'cause staring death in the face has made me realise if there's one thing I want more than my revenge, it's my life," Hook spoke up, still sounding as confident as he always did, even in the face of imminent death. "So, should we start this thing now, and _then _resume bickering?"

"There is no stopping it," Regina said, sullenly. "And the best thing I can do is slow it down, but that will only delay the inevitable."

"It'll give us the time we need," David interjected.

"The time for _what_, exactly?" Kaelyn asked, cynically.

"Steal back the beans. Use them to get everyone into the Enchanted Forest before Storybrooke is gone," David explained. Kaelyn would never admit she liked the plan, agreed with it, even.

"How?" Emma questioned. "We don't even know where Greg and Tamara _are_." Kaelyn teetered on the edge of offering up her tracking magic from the day before, but quickly realised she'd have no personal belongings to track them with.

"Well, I do. I can help," Hook offered, and Kaelyn sent him a look.

"Look at you being useful," she said in a saturated voice.

"Help yourself," Emma told the pirate immediately. "You'll take them and leave us all behind. Why should we trust you?"

"No, we won't have to. I'll go with him, and if he tries anything, I'll shoot him in the face." David gave Hook a very pointed look, but the pirate didn't seem phased in the slightest.

"Quite hostile, aren't we?" he mused.

"Just being clear," David said, sternly.

"I'm coming with you," Kaelyn spoke up.

"Kaelyn," David said in a chastising tone which made Kaelyn scowl. Being talked to like a child was high on her very long list of pet peeves.

"Unless you want a hook in your back," she said, putting on an exasperated tone that must've been convincing. David looked thoughtful, and Hook sent her an irritated glare. "Look, I know the plan was to keep me out of the bean loophole and leave me here, but things have changed," Kaelyn continued, voice lower now. She had no reason to believe these people would come back for her with the beans, she hardly trusted them to. And she refused to be left here to die.

David mulled it over for a few moments. "If you help us, you can come with us," he finally said, in a tone that suggested the offer was very generous.

Kaelyn just shook her head. "I wasn't asking."

* * *

Emma and Regina had resolved to slow down the diamond – which still sounded ridiculous to Kaelyn – while Mary Margaret and Henry went around town to gather everyone for when Kaelyn's group got the beans. At least, that was the idea. They took David's car, and Kaelyn was surprised when Hook lead them straight back to the cannery from the previous day.

As they arrived on the scene, an open van was visible with a burning pile of junk just outside it. "Over there," Hook said as the car stopped, gesturing towards it.

"Let's go," David agreed. Kaelyn sprung out of the car, just as there was another tremor, even more severe than before, forcing her to lean against the car alongside the two men to avoid meeting the concrete.

"Time's running out," Hook stated once the tremor faded.

"Oh, is that what that means?" David snarked, beating Kaelyn to the smart remark for once in his life. After a few steps towards the cannery, however, Kaelyn froze up. Not even twenty-four hours ago Neal had died here. And she had not expected her body to react the way it did. "Kaelyn?" David's voice broke her stupor and she refocused, finding Hook and David a few steps ahead of her and looking confused. "You alright?"

"I'm _fine_," Kaelyn spat with as much force as she could, trying to convince herself as much as David. Without so much as another falter in her step, she headed forward, and the two men followed. The cannery was wide open now and easier to access without Kaelyn's magic. But, it seemed, it was empty. Kaelyn glanced warily at Hook, not putting it past him to lead them into a trap.

"Stop," Hook sighed, not looking at her.

"What?" Kaelyn said, indignantly, knowing full well _what_.

"I can feel you glaring," Hook grumbled.

"Good," Kaelyn snipped, the pirate rolling his eyes. Kaelyn looked to her right where David was walking, semi-hidden in the darkness of the building. "So, you told Gold?" she asked, casually.

"Yes," David responded.

"How did he take it?" Kaelyn asked, trying to hide her curiosity behind mocking for a man she was known for hating.

"Said he's okay to die," David replied, and Kaelyn furrowed her brows.

"That makes one of us," she said after a few moments, unnerved by Rumpelstiltskin – the man who sacrificed literally everything for power and immorality – just sitting around accepting death.

The unlikely trio continued through the building, which only proved to be silent and empty. The possibility of this being a trap or some part of a large plan became even more likely in Kaelyn's mind, but she didn't voice it. If something happened she'd be the first to get out. And, if they did find Tamara and Greg as was their goal, she'd both get her revenge and the beans to get home. It would be a win-win.

"So, tell me, Hook," David spoke up amidst the silence, "all this time it's been about revenge for you. Why is it suddenly so important to you that you survive? I know what I'm fighting for– my family. What are you fighting for?"

"Myself. That's plenty of motivation, I can assure you," Hook replied, and Kaelyn had expected no less of an answer, and wondered why David had even bothered asking.

David, however, turned his attention to her. "Kaelyn?" he inquired, expectantly.

"What do you think?" Kaelyn hissed. "I'm not Rumpelstiltskin, I'm not okay with throwing away centuries of living. I'm here for myself." She was suddenly glad Emma wasn't around. She would've detected the lie in an instant. Even David regarded her, carefully, before turning away.

There was a sudden noise ahead, and David whispered, "quiet", before taking out his gun as they neared the source of the sound. Kaelyn flexed her fingers. Up ahead, Greg materialised out of the dark, carrying a bag in his hand. He slowly lowered it to the ground, holding his hands up submissively as she saw the firearms aimed at him.

Kaelyn could kill him there, but she restrained herself. If he was going to die, too, she'd only let it be in front of Tamara.

"The beans," David growled. "Give them to me."

Greg held up a tiny jar, which Kaelyn could see contained a single, sparkling bean. "You mean these?"

Kaelyn held out a hand but froze when she realised she couldn't feel the magic pulsing under her skin, as if it had been sucked out of the air itself. _The trigger_. Powerlessness flushed her system, just as Tamara appeared. She shot the gun out of David's hand, grazing his arm in a spray of blood, before sprinting away. David retrieved his gun off the floor and gave chase.

The immortal teenager attempted to pursue him just as Greg slammed into her, the both of them hitting the cold, hard floor. Kaelyn distantly heard shattering glass. The brunette girl struggled beneath Greg's weight, his hands around her throat as she fought for breath and clawed at his face, hopelessly.

"Get the _fuck off!_" Kaelyn screamed, bringing her leg up and slamming it into Greg with all her strength. But he was simply too strong opposed to her drained-of-magic state _and _small stature. For the first time, panic flooded Kaelyn, just as Greg was suddenly pulled off her.

Kaelyn coughed and gasped for breath as she scrambled to her hands and knees and saw Hook wrestling Greg. To the side lay the broken jar, a single bean resting there. Kaelyn swallowed thickly as her breath returned, and glanced once at Hook – who had just very well saved her life – and Greg, before the direction Tamara and David had disappeared. She followed shortly after, leaving Hook to his own devices.

She caught up in moments, to find Tamara seemingly cornered by David, both with guns raised. She had barely come into view when there was a gunshot and a searing pain in Kaelyn's left side. She let out a hiss and fell to the side, leaning against a shelf for support, a hand going to the side of her stomach.

"You missed," David mused, sounding smug.

Tamara arched an eyebrow. "Did I?"

"I'll kill you," Kaelyn snarled, and David wheeled around to see her there, blood leaking through her hand. Tamara quirked her lip. "You hear me? I'm gonna kill you!" Kaelyn raised her voice, which reverberated around the confined cannery.

"You'll already be dead," Tamara told her.

Kaelyn ground her teeth, focusing on whatever magic she could still feel in the air, still latch onto. She felt her nose begin to bleed with the effort and knew her eyes were shining a vibrant shade of purple, before letting out a yell just as Tamara was blasted backwards. She only stumbled slightly, but she had dropped her gun.

David closed in, Tamara getting to her feet, unarmed, slowly. Kaelyn slumped back, sliding down to the floor, wiping at her nose and wincing at her aching and tired body. She looked down at her side, which could've been worse. Kaelyn glanced up just in time to see Greg arriving.

"Charming, behind–!" But Greg had already sprinted in and knocked David aside, slamming him to the floor. Tamara reached for the run but Greg stopped her.

"No! Come on, we got what we need," he insisted, dragging her away, before the two were gone.

Hook ran in and stopped David from trying to follow. "What're you doing? They've got the beans!" David snarled.

"Not all of 'em!" Hook exclaimed. "I snagged one," he said, quieter, showing the single magic bean. This seemed to satisfy David, who stopped struggling and holstered his gun.

He then finally turned to Kaelyn, who was trying to stem the bleeding of her bullet wound using her jacket. "Oh, my god," he breathed as he and Hook jogged over. "Are you alright?" David asked. Kaelyn sent him a look. "Right. Sorry."

"Where are the rest of the beans?" Kaelyn asked, trying not to visibly wince as David applied more pressure to her side, crouching down beside her.

"Doesn't matter, all we need is one," Hook told her dismissively. "Why aren't you healing?" Hook asked, looking at the blood that refused to let up.

"Don't you think if I could I would've by now?" Kaelyn snarled, shrugging David's help away. She pulled herself to her feet, gripping the shelves. "It's that fucking trigger. It's sucking all the magic out of Storybrooke, including mine."

"That's a lot of blood," David said, not being able to hide the concern in his voice.

"No, shit," Kaelyn snapped as she tied her jacket tightly around her middle, hoping to stem the blood as she moved. "I've had worse," she added.

"Without magic to save you?"

David had a point, and Kaelyn knew it. Now, either way, she'd probably die unless they got back home. "Look, we get back to the Enchanted Forest, I can heal," Kaelyn finally said, trying and succeeding to keep her voice steady.

"Finally choosing life over revenge, eh?" Hook looked amused.

"I can't kill Tamara if I'm already dead," Kaelyn admonished, far from giving up on that ambition.

"So, live to fight another day, mate?" Hook agreed, turning to David for his input.

The blonde just pulled the single magic bean from Hook's pocket. "I'm not your mate." He glanced down at Kaelyn. "Help her to the car." And then Prince Charming was heading off.

Hook looked at Kaelyn but she just sent him a poisonous look. "Help me, and you'll be in more pain than I am." Hook just held up his hand and his hook and let Kaelyn – admittedly – stumble past him and after David.

The ride to the Diner was a test of endurance, as blood loss and shock began to take over Kaelyn. The pain had resorted to a dull ache, but she figured that was from becoming numb to all her surroundings, before they got out of the car and headed into the Diner.

The Diner was packed with people who appeared overjoyed to see they had retrieved a bean, or, David. Hook and Kaelyn stayed behind, no one asking about her injury or the look on the pirate's face. The revelation that Regina was sacrificing herself to let them all go did, admittedly, surprise Kaelyn. She could never imagine going to a guaranteed death for anyone.

While the Diner argued over what to do – Kaelyn easily preferring to just leave Regina – another tremor shook the place. Kaelyn winced as she tried to steady herself on a table. She tried to ignore how Henry looked at the thought of Regina dying, when just yesterday Kaelyn had rescued her for Henry's sake. She was not doing that today. She was going home.

And then came Kaelyn's favourite part; David tossing Emma the bean to save Regina after all, but Hook intercepted it. "You're all mad," he exclaimed, moving back to stand with Kaelyn, who had apparently become his fellow outcast. "_I_ can live with myself."

David and Emma moved to grab it. "Give it back," Emma said, desperately.

"If she wants to die for us, I say let her," Hook said, in a way that probably sounded heartless to the others, but just sounded smart to Kaelyn.

"You and I– we understand each other. Look out for yourself, and you'll never get hurt, right?" Emma said, quickly.

Hook just smirked. "Worked quite well for me."

"Yeah, till the day that it doesn't." Kaelyn rolled her eyes at the desperate lengths Emma was going to. "We're gonna do this. It might be stupid, it might be crazy, but we're doing it. So… you can join us and be apart of something, or you can do what you do best and be alone," Emma said this all very quickly. The moments following her little speech were tense as Hook clearly weighed his options, before slowly handing her the pouch with the bean.

People instantly relaxed and began mulling about, and Kaelyn let herself deflate. Most likely Emma had just killed them all.

* * *

Kaelyn guessed she shouldn't have been surprised when the tremors increased, and vines began to entangle the town, trees even shooting up from the ground. Disappointed, but not surprised, she stepped out of the Diner and looked around at the destruction, as Emma and her group had gone to try and save the day again. Her side was still injured but the bleeding had, for the most part, stopped. But what good was that, when they were all about to die anyway?

She had never given death much thought, she realised, as she calmly walked through Storybrooke, inhabitants running and screaming around her as death inevitably approached. The plan mustn't have worked. Emma had doomed them all with her morality. Kaelyn couldn't even find it in herself to be angry as she reached the cannery, the last place Neal had been alive.

Was there some kind of afterlife? If so, would she see Neal there? Or, most likely, would her centuries of bad deeds land her someplace else? Or was it just empty? After centuries spent never accepting death as a possibility to herself, these questions swam around Kaelyn's head as she looked at the place where Neal had met _his _end.

And then, as if by some cruel miracle, another tremor shook the town, and Kaelyn stumbled to her knees, just as the vines and trees around her began to disappear. Within seconds, it looked like nothing had ever been awry with the place. Kaelyn let her shoulders go slack, and her thoughts about what death would be like after two centuries of living disappeared in a blur.

And then, as if by another miracle, she heard familiar voices only a few paces from where she was.

The returned magic in the air only fuelled Kaelyn as she recognised Tamara and Greg, followed by Henry. They came into sight moments later, heading for the Storybrooke docks. Greg had Henry cuffed and was gripping him roughly as Tamara lead them. Henry's head swivelled around, before his eyes landed on Kaelyn, who was alone and slowly standing up from the ground.

"Kaelyn!" he cried, and the immortal teenager cursed under her breath. She really did like the kid but that was a bad move. Greg and Tamara noticed her, too, and Kaelyn was satisfied with the looks on their faces. They knew her magic was not restricted anymore.

They began running, sprinting, even, towards the docks. It was only a few paces and Kaelyn was bolting after them, her side screaming in pain. She ignored it. But even as she approached, she knew she was too late, as Tamara held the last bean in her hand and opened a portal in the ocean below the dock they were standing on.

"Henry!" Kaelyn heard from far behind her. The others had apparently caught up, but she didn't dare look behind as she truly pushed herself, eyes locked onto Henry as his kidnappers bent their knees and made to jump.

Looking back on this moment, Kaelyn would wonder how she had made it so quickly with a bullet hole in the side of her stomach and drained magic, and how easily she had brushed aside the fact she had no idea where the portal led. She would wonder why, this time, she hadn't kissed her moral compass goodbye like she almost always did.

But all those wonders and thoughts were mute as Kaelyn's feet left the dock and she plummeted through the portal after Neal's murderers and the last person Kaelyn gave a shit about.

* * *

**A/N**: this episode really was just a big exposition dump and a huge annoyance trying to fit kaelyn in realistically but i hope it was enjoyable nonetheless, and much longer than former chapters oops. basically lots of kaelyn anger, existential crisis, rethinking immortality and doing something for someone else for once.

also i'm pretty sure the trigger didn't fully suck the magic out of the air as it did here, but i wanted a moment of weakness for kaelyn and logically it made sense to me _but _we're finally moving onto s3, or not. the next chapter isn't exactly what you might expect but rest easy, peter _is _coming. also kaelyn's character will begin to make more sense and be explained, since she still appears/remains pretty harsh and unsympathetic, which was done on purpose. also somehow this story is my most followed/popular one on this site so thank you for that_!_

anyway, i hope everyone enjoyed and please review your thoughts, they truly keep me writing, and i'll see you next time_!_


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